Bradford-born Asaf Darr, freed last week after a long imprisonment in a Dominican Republic jail, is fighting for the country's government to return $500,000 the authorities confiscated from him.

Mr Darr, 46, gained his freedom after an 18-month fight, but says the real battle has only just started.

He said: "I feel the Dominican Republic government should pay me for everything, but most of all I want to see justice - that these people are taught to listen, especially their police and government."

Precious metal trader Mr Darr, 46, and two Dutch colleagues were arrested in November, 1999, during a business trip to buy gold in neighbouring Haiti. But they were detained on suspicion of money laundering after they were found to be carrying more than $750,000 US dollars (£535,000) when they drove back to the Dominican Republic after the deal in Haiti collapsed.

Despite being cleared of all charges in March, Mr Darr and his colleagues were kept in jail while prosecutors appealed against their acquittals.

Charges were finally dropped, and he flew home to a tearful reunion with his daughters Sophie and Sarah, who live in Bradford, at Heathrow Airport last week.

Mr Darr is calling for compensation for the time he was held and is set to meet Stephen Jakobi of Fair Trials Abroad to discuss his case, in particular the role of the British Foreign Office.

"I've always been proud to be British but after this fiasco I feel that my embassy should have helped me more," he said.

Mr Darr said $500,000 of the confiscated money belongs to him but he has still to recover any of the cash from the Dominican Republic government.

He said his lawyer demanded a fees of $150,000 and, when he refused to pay, British Embassy officials in the Dominican Republic handed his ticket and passport to the solicitor, forcing him into agreeing to pay the money.

"If he should get that money I'm holding the British Embassy responsible," said Mr Darr. "They will have to refund me it back. When do you hear of lawyers charging £100,000?"

The remaining cash is to be returned to Mr Darr via the Dutch government who, he believes, were instrumental in securing his release.

Stephen Jakobi, of Fair Trials Abroad, believes the Foreign Office did all it could.

He said: "I totally understand Mr Darr. He was sitting there and it would seem as if the Dutch were doing all the work, but I'm fairly confident that London were working with the Dutch."

Mr Jakobi said he was concerned at the loss of Mr Darr's money and a claim for compensation could be made against the Dominican Republican government through the United Nations.

During his period in jail Mr Darr said he suffered horrendous conditions, and stabbings were a daily occurrence.

He said: "The prison is made to hold 700 people and there are more than 3,000 in there. Our cell measured something like nine by 12 feet."